Best Jewish Writing 2002 [Paperback]

Michael Lerner (Editor), Susannah Heschel (Introduction)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787962104 | ISBN-13: 978-0787962104 | Publication Date: August 6, 2002 | Edition: 1

In this much-anticipated annual volume, respected intellectual and spiritual leader Michael Lerner has collected the greatest Jewish writing of the past year. A review in the Los Angeles Times said of Lerner's first volume, "clearly an auspicious beginning." This new collection lives up to the promise of the first and includes poetry, fiction, and essays that highlight universal themes of healing, transformation, spirituality, politics, and cultural identity. No other book explores the challenges of contemporary Jewish life in a global, postmodern culture through all types of aritstic writing, This 2002 volume reflects the diversity of thought, opinion, and sensibility among Jews worldwide, including Susannah Heschel, Arthur Waskow, Wendy Wasserstein, Jonathan Rosen, Letty Pogrebin, Chaim Potok, Philip Levine, and Adrienne Rich, A special section includes a variety of articulate Jewish responses to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although the title of this book indicates the nature of its contents, it is potentially misleading. Instead of the conventional meaning of "best" as the greatest degree of excellence, editor Lerner offers his own idiosyncratic definition: "I use `best' to mean `most significant,' that is, writing that shapes or has the capacity to reveal the underlying issues facing Jews today." Lerner, a leader of the Jewish Renewal movement, selected 32 essays, 12 poems and eight book excerpts for inclusion in this volume. Unfortunately, his definition of "most significant" turns out to be a restricted one. The choices seem biased in favor of writers who share Lerner's own view of Judaism, social change and the world. Worse yet, 11 of the essays first appeared in Tikkun magazine, which is edited by Lerner, who also founded it. Such a narrow sampling is not representative of the fullness of the excellent recent literature on Judaism, and the particular slant toward Lerner's own flagship publication is troubling. Although many of the writers are obscure, some well-known authors are represented: Arthur Waskow, Wendy Wasserstein, Adrienne Rich, Chaim Potok and Amos Oz, for example. The excerpts from Wendy Wasserstein's autobiographical essays, Shiksa Goddess, and Chaim Potok's Old Men at Midnight are particularly outstanding. As a whole, however, this anthology is crippled by its insularity.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The attacks of September 11 and the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict made harsh demands on Jewish ideals and thoughts in 2001. In his annual collection, Lerner (editor, Tikkun magazine) has gathered fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that covers many aspects of Jewish concern and interest. The volume is divided into sections on identity, spirit, culture, healing, Israel, and Jewish response to 9/11. Among the well-known authors included are Amos Oz, Abraham B. Yehoshua, Adrienne Rich, Chaim Potok, and Grace Schulman. Some highlights are the fast-paced and funny stories of Wendy Wasserstein and Binnie Kirschenbaum and the political statements of Sylvia Barack Fishman and Uri Averny. Also, Robert S. Gottlieb's article on his disabled child is wonderfully insightful. A committed religious life and social activism are stressed in many of the selections, and both sides of issues are fairly presented. Recommended for literary and Jewish studies collections. Gene Shaw, NYPL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (August 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787962104
• ISBN-13: 978-0787962104
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,885,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)